The Desolation of Forever
by thatlassiegotglassed
Summary: After the fallout of Storybrooke, the Enchanted Forest once again is home for our beloved heroes. But is everything as they left it? Perhaps it is time the evil queen was taken down once and for all, one way or another.
1. The Calm Before the Storm

A/N: I have so many other stories going but this popped into my head the other night and I fell in love and just had to start it and give it to you guys. Though the main focus will be Rumbelle, I promise a strong presence of Snowing, Frankenwolf, Swanfire and others. Enjoy and let me know what you think if you feel so inclined. 3

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Chapter One: The Calm Before the Storm

The day it happened was like any other. A normal day in Storybrooke Maine. Well, about as normal as one got living amongst the most infamous fairytale characters of our time. But that is neither here nor there.

Living on the coast had its perks. There was often sunshine to go along with the glorious bit of ocean and scenery but today a thick fog had rolled in from the banks of the Atlantic, causing the sky to darken into a dull, elephant-skin grey. The rain hung heavy in the air, not quite falling but misting with the eminent intent of a long storm. Needless to say most of the town's citizens had taken to the indoors and the couple our story begins with was no exception.

At the end of Main Street, on the corner, passed the pharmacy and across from the clock tower, set a small antiques store, a pawnshop, if you will. With walls of pale sea blue and two big white trimmed windows, there was really nothing that set it apart from the other businesses on the street. Above the strong, glossy red door hung a sign, not lighted or neon, simply plastic and moving slowly in the breeze. It read: Mr. Gold, Pawnbroker and Antiques Dealer.

Where the outside was ordinary, the inside was a different story. The walls were patterned with wallpaper, in desperate need of updating, and large thick framed oil paintings. Objects were here and there, stacked in corners, leaning against walls or gathering dust in the back room. The more special items were locked under the glass of multiple display cases but they all had one thing in common, all items were old and all were for sale. That is the thing about antique shops, everything had its price and Mr. Gold's was no different.

The man himself was seated behind a large display counter on the back wall of the shop. His work spread out before him in a haphazard mess; it was barely seven in the morning and no one ever came in before noon. He pulled a wide but thin box out from under the glass and set it on top of the counter, flicking open the latches and inspecting the contents. From his suit jacket pocket he pulled a small eye glass to inspect the glittering jewels within the small square compartments of the box. It wasn't enough. With a groan, he opened the side drawer and removed his glasses.

"I hate getting older." He grumbled as he slid them on, over the small bump towards the top of his nose and blinked until everything cleared. That was better, the jewels were now clear and he could work without delay.

"You're not old." A soft voice said as the beaded curtain to the back was pushed aside with a rush of twinkling plastic.

He removed the glasses and looked up, his face breaking into an automatic smile. On the rare occasion that Mr. Gold did smile, he looked years younger, he even felt younger. And his first reason to smile in over three hundred years was the beauty currently leaning on the counter draped in his crumpled silk shirt.

Belle French was perfect in every way, well at least to Mr. Gold. Small of stature yet curvy, strong willed yet brilliant. She was the town librarian and had a kind heart that reflected in her sky blue eyes. But most importantly, she was his. Not a possession like the items in his shop, but his in the way that she brought him lunch daily, called just for the sake of saying 'I love you' and at night burrowed under his arm with a smile on her face. Pushing away from the end of the counter, she padded across the cold floor on the balls of her feet towards him. As she crossed her arms under her breasts for warmth, the purple fabric of his shirt raised just enough to flash the tops of her thighs and the edges of her lacy boy shorts. Mr. Gold felt his mouth run dry as he set his glasses down on the counter and appreciated the view.

Belle saw the slight worry lines on his forehead and smiled gently. "Don't worry. Have you seen outside? No one is coming in, and certainly not this early." She stooped gently to brush her lips across his cheek in good morning and frowned slightly. "Why are you awake?"

Gold rubbed his eyes and looked back to his work on the counter with a sigh. "Couldn't sleep. I apologize if I woke you."

"Apologize for letting me wake up alone," she smiled and gave him another peck. "Come back to bed, its freezing."

The storm last night had caused them both to agree that they would rather wait out the night in the back bedroom of the shop than drive home in the ghastly weather. Though the arrangements in the back couldn't hold a candle to their California king complete with Egyptian cotton in their humble home on the outskirts of town, they had made due and the smaller bed called for an inordinate amount of cuddling. The offer to return was tempting, that was for sure. But once awake and dressed for the day Gold seldom went back to bed. In fact, he rarely slept at all, unless sick or otherwise forced to by the woman on his shoulder who was worried about his well being. With another small smile he reached up and pulled her down into his lap, chuckling deeply when she issued a small squeak. He adjusted her comfortably, hitching her thighs across his knees and let her lean against him, playfully caressing her ticklish spots. She threw her head back and laughed, face beaming and curls bouncing, as she put her arms around his neck for balance and he took the chance to kiss her properly.

Turning back to the box in front of them, he raised the levels of it, revealing more compartments housing all sorts of beautiful trinkets and baubles. Belle saw them glimmering in the dull lamps of the shop and gasped slightly. "Did these just come in?"

He nodded, "Yes. From all the way across the Atlantic. I was just inspecting some of them and getting ready to price them before they go under the counter. Take a look." He kissed her shoulder twice through the fabric of his shirt.

Tucking her hair behind her ears, Belle leaned up a bit and curiously ran her fingers over the edges of the box. Skipping the necklaces and the earrings that lay at the bottom and heading towards the top compartment, stopping, he noticed, at the drawer that housed the rings. He watched her intently, part of him forgetting the basic mechanics of breathing. With a bite of her lip she moved some aside and finally paused, slowly lifting a thin white gold band.

"It's beautiful," she whispered as she held it closer to her face between her index finger and her thumb.

Mr. Gold's weary heart had never beat faster. He swallowed the lump in his throat hard as he reached around her with the arm that was not encircled about her waist and took the metal from her. "That it is," he paused, waiting for her to flatten her hand, "But, it would look even better on." He slid the band over her ring finger on her left hand and they both admired the sapphire triplet in the light of the desk lamp.

"Hmmm," he sighed, resting his chin on her shoulder and saying gently into the softness of her hair, "Much better than inside that dusty old box. In fact, it's so perfect I don't think you should ever take it off."

Belle paused. Heart pounding in her ears as the blood rushed to her cheeks and she turned quickly enough to make him jump backwards. With wide eyes, she looked at the man and searched his face as to what was inside his mind. His brown eyes gave away nothing and she looked from the ring before cupping his cheek, her finger tips lightly bushing the morning stubble on his jaw.

"You don't mean…" she whispered, the shop suddenly very small and private as her thoughts came together.

"Aye, I do. If…if you'll have me?" he smiled and bowed his head a little. A gesture and a phrase both said in another time, another place but still held the same emotions.

Her face tightened, trying to control her happiness as her eyes shone with tears just on the brim of falling. She smiled and nodded rapidly as she put her arms back around his shoulders and said breathlessly, "Yes. Yes, of course you…you…yes!"

He laughed as she fought for her composure and he pulled her down, closing the gap between their lips. She shivered and moved her hands to his hair, pulling it back from his face and closing her eyes. Their noses brushed as he pulled her bottom lip between his own, sucking gently and putting his hands under the edge of her makeshift night gown. Gentle but calloused hands caressed her back and she broke out in goose bumps, whimpering softly against his mouth. She made up her mind that they were going back to bed if she had to drag him; Belle pulled back with a smile and blissfully lidded eyes.

She opened her mouth but was cut off as a loud boom shook the area around them as well as everything within the shop. Mr. Gold gripped her tightly and looked around as the knickknacks clanked together and swayed on their respective shelves before the noise died off. It wasn't thunder, much too loud for merely thunder. An earthquake perhaps, but such a thing had never happened in the little town before. Just as everything in the shop stopped moving, it happened again. A shattering explosion this time shook the building and Belle slipped from his lap, grabbing the counter before he covered her, getting as low to the ground as they could.

In a disaster, the pawn shop was not a good choice of places to run for cover. Paintings fell with loud thuds, the old grandfather clock in the corner toppled and Belle buried her face in Gold's chest as the glass unicorn mobile came crashing down beside them. He held onto her tightly, refusing to move until the danger had passed. The distant trembling of the earth quake could be heard as it moved away from their corner of town and he slowly rose to inspect the damage.

Broken items littered the store, glass here and splintered wood there, all worthless junk. They both were safe and that was more important that then things on display. Leaning down, letting most of his weight balance on his good leg, Gold picked up Belle and set her on the counter top; her lack of proper clothing now a nuisance allowing all her precious skin to be exposed to the ruble on the ground.

"R-rumple…" she breathed as he released her and picked up his fallen cane. She turned on the countertop and watched as he walked to the door. With a twinkle of the bell at the top, he flung it opened and looked outside.

The sky had turned a sickening green that swirled and twisted above them as the wind picked up speed. Leaves and discarded items blew down the street as the stop light swayed on the electric line. Gold threw up his arm and shielded his face as a crack of lightening ripped open from the clouds and came crashing down somewhere in the center of town.

"Rumple!"

His attention was drawn back to Belle as she started to get down and run to him but he put up a hand to stop her. With a snap of his fingers, she was engulfed in royal purple smoke that tickled her body and surrounded her protectively and once it dissipated she was fully dressed. She usually pleaded with him to avoid the use of magic in simple tasks but now was not the time.

Her running shoes hit the hardwood with a squeak as she jumped from the counter and ran to his side, looking out into the street over his shoulder.

"What's happening?" her eyes wide as she asked.

"I don't know. Get back inside." He shut the door with a firm slam and moved her back into the safety of the shop. "Go to the back. Grab the rucksack off of the sitting chair, the green one with the gold trim. Hurry."

She did as he asked without question. Hurrying through the beaded curtain once more and tying her hair back out of the way as she ran. Gold leaned against the counter and gritted his teeth. Magic had indeed returned to Storybrooke but only a select few could control it with that kind of magnitude. He wasn't behind it and with the Queen of Hearts dead that left only one option.

He shoved away from the counter and strode to the large painting behind his personal work area. Ripping it from the wall, he tossed it aside and worked on opening the large safe that it reviled. The door behind him banged open and the bell rattled so hard it finally fell to the floor, the poor thing had survived 28 years of abuse from disgruntled citizens, seemed fitting that it would break now.

"Dad!"

Mr. Gold spun around as Baelfire, otherwise known in this world as Neal Cassady, fell inside the shop and used all the force he had to slam the door closed against the wind from outside. Pressing his back to it, his breath came fast and he searched the room, eyes narrowing on his father.

Neal strode forward, adjusting his dark grey peacoat and running a hand through his dark hair before pointing at Gold himself.

"Tell me this wasn't you. Tell me!" his voice was angry but Gold saw it, the blind, desperate hope that his father was still trying to change, that he wasn't the one currently trying to destroy an entire town.

Gold shook his head and gave Neal and gentle look, "It's not me son."

The relief on Neal's face was painfully evident. The bond between father and son was getting stronger every day but there was still a lot of healing left. The accusation caused his chest to ache but Mr. Gold understood, he had promised Neal to stop dark magic and to cut back on magic in general, for his one and only son, he certainly was trying.

Belle returned with the bag. She had put on a jacket and blew wisps of her hair out of her eyes as she returned to Gold's side. He took it from her gently and hastily set to working on opening the safe in front of him, turning from Baelfire.

"Bae, what's going on?" Belle asked, taking in his disheveled appearance.

"A…a storm. But it's not just any storm it's like…"

"Magic." Gold mumbled as he popped the safe and started putting the contents in the bag.

Neal nodded and continued, "It's like the town is splitting open. Cracks have popped up in every street, giant and swallowing anything in their path, the biggest one is under the clock tower. Buildings are coming down; we have to get out of here." He had been around magic his entire life but even now he was struggling to describe the chaos that had broken out outside the pawn shop.

Gold stopped and put his hand on the wall, starring at the ground. He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. Belle moved to his side and put a hand on his shoulder, asking without words what was wrong.

"Pop, if it's not you then it's…" Neal looked to Belle then back to his father.

"Regina." Gold growled again as he removed a long item from the safe wrapped in a cloth. He dropped the item and the bag to the ground as another tremor shook the shop. He grabbed Belle and braced them both. The tremor lasted longer than any of the others and he cast worried eyes to his son as screams could be heard from down the street.

He gripped his cane and went to pick up the bag but Belle beat him to it. She knew that wrapped inside the ordinary looking cloth was something precious, something neither of them could afford to lose. Letting out a shaky breath, she clutched the dagger of the dark one to her chest and gave him a reassuring nod.

"The curse is imploding on itself. It may have been already broken but now it is being destroyed." He looked to Belle, "Storybrooke is being destroyed."

Belle looked hopeful for a split second as she covered his hand with her own. "You mean we're going home?"

"If we survive…" Her hand tightened around his as another shock rattled the roof.

Neal threw his hands into the air and resisted the urge to point at his father again, he had to hurry, he had a son to find, people in this town he cared about. There had to be something they could do. "Why now? Why did she choose now to destroy the curse? You made it, didn't you?"

Gold held up his hand and looked back to his son, "Yes, I made it. I do not know why she chose now, but the curse can be destroyed in almost the same way it was broken." Almost a year ago, Emma Swan had broken the curse with true love. She had awoken each of them from 28 years of personal hell and now Gold was certain she had no part in its destruction.

"The curse will break, if the savior dies." He whispered as he looked at his only son.

Neal's eyes grew wide; he turned on his heel without another word and shot out the door. The talking was done, time was up and Regina had to be stopped. Gold held open the bag and allowed Belle to drop the dagger inside. He pulled the tie and tied it tight, handing it to her. She threw the rucksack across her shoulders, she would protect it no matter what and that was the reason he entrusted it to her.

"Belle, I need you to run down to the diner. Alert the others. Find Ruby, Hopper, anyone you think might be able to help." He gripped her shoulders gently, memorizing the features of her worried face.

"Aren't you coming with me?" She blurted as his words sunk in.

He shook his head and picked up his cane, releasing her. "No, someone has to stop Regina. I-…" He stopped midway to the door once he realized Belle wasn't following.

"No," She said firmly. His Belle was many things but firm was not one of them, at least not like this. "No. I'm not going. I will not…I _will not lose you AGAIN because of her!"_ She shook her head over and over and used her hair to hide the fact that a few silent tears had escaped her strong resolve. He threw down his cane and hurried to her as fast as his leg would allow, wrapping her in a tight embrace and burying his face in her hair.

He inhaled deeply and held her as she shook. He wanted to promise that everything would be fine, they would make it out of Storybrooke, that the queen had kept them apart for the last time, but Belle was too smart for empty words that could easily turn into broken promises.

With a hand behind her head he whispered quickly into her hair, allowing her to cling to the front of his suit. "Belle, I need you to do this. The curse is unpredictable, protect the dagger, find the others and anything that we may need." She continued to shake her head and he shook her.

"BELLE…" He looked her in the eyes and his heart ached. At that moment she threw herself forward and captured his mouth, sliding her small fingers into his hair and holding on for dear life. He parted his lips and held her closer as he tasted her tears. His heart broke into a million pieces at the thought of losing her for good this time. Releasing her, he shoved her out the door before he changed his mind, "GO!"

With one last look, she wiped her eyes and ran outside into the storm. Gold let out a yell of agony and whirled on point, bringing his cane smashing down on the glass of the counter to his right. Damn Regina, damn the curse, damn the magic. All magic came with a price and he was going to find the queen and force her to pay up.


	2. The Destruction of Storybrooke

A/N: I always forget to put this but I do not own anything OUAT related, nor will I ever. Damn the luck. Thanks for reading and reviews are appreciated.

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Chapter 2: The Destruction of Storybrooke

A howl broke through the noise outside the pawn shop and Belle froze midstride. Her heart pounding in her chest as a second, shorter howl echoed and was cut off by a bolt of lightning closely followed by rumbling thunder.

"Ruby…" she breathed. Turning down a side street, she ran. Ran with everything she had. If she cut across Elm it might save some time. In a split second decision she took a left and continued down the alley behind the Rabbit Hole. Trash littered not just the alley but the very street as another quake caused dumpsters and stacks of recyclables to collapse in its wake. Belle jumped over the debris to the best of her ability and scrambled out into the street in front of what was once the town's most prized restaurant.

Granny's was now almost unrecognizable. The vine trellis was demolished, along with the green, picket fence that had once given the front of the building its signature 'homey' look. Plants littered the sitting porch as Granny's prized violets now lay in a mess of dirt and clay pottery. The front had collapsed completely, neon sign and all now laying in a puddle from the water main break and a sparking power line from the nearest lamppost writhed and jumped with an exposed electric current.

To the right, Ruby's red mustang was upside down; windows smashed and front bumper looking like it took on a rather large animal. Belle skidded to a stop as she heard a small crunch of glass and lifted her foot to reveal her friend's beloved glass wolf. Her heart sank as she looked around frantically and called out for the woman in question.

"Belle!"

Belle turned at the sound of her name and realized it was coming from inside the destroyed vehicle. Adjusting the bag on her shoulders, she hurried towards the cries and fell to her knees to peer inside the broken driver side window.

Ruby was trapped. Red extensions hung in her face as she extended her arm to reach for her friend. Bits of dust and gravel coated her pale skin and she shook like a leaf. After a quick scan of the area, she realized with a sinking sense of worry that no one else was in sight. They weren't lost to the curse, she could hear the screams and yells of course, but there wasn't time to hunt down anyone else that could help her. She had to save Ruby, save Ruby now and hurry back to the center of town where the real fight was just beginning.

"B-Belle, thank god." She cried as she shut her eyes tightly in relief. Ruby tried to wiggle as Belle offered words of reassurance and started to move scraps of broken metal away from the window. She had to work fast, the girl in the car was growing more scared by the minute and there was no telling what the next quake would bring.

"W-what's happening?" Ruby asked as Belle grabbed her arm and tried to pull for the first time. With a cry of pain, Ruby moved only an inch; she was stuck. The front of the mustang had concaved on itself and the steering wheel refused to relinquish her legs.

"Ruby, listen to me, I need you to wiggle as I pull. This will only work if we do both. Ready? One…Two…" Belle grit her teeth and pulled as hard as she could, grasping Ruby by the forearms as her friend twisted her body and clung to her, slowly sliding out of the fiberglass cage and onto the asphalt. She slipped free with a small yelp and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. Holding herself up on her palms, Ruby panted and shook with the joy of being removed from the car. Belle allowed her to catch her breath, adjusting the bag around her shoulders before trying to hoist the girl to her feet. "We have to hurry," she grunted as Ruby's legs refused to cooperate and they ended up back on the ground in a heap.

The metal of the car groaned as another tremor broke open a crack in front of the diner and the mustang fell into the ravine in a cloud of dark smoke. Belle closed her eyes tightly and prepared to follow the car into the darkness as Ruby screamed. However, instead of feeling the wind of their freefall, Belle felt large hands wrap around her shoulders and grip her by the jacket, jerking them both backwards as the asphalt crumbled down after the car.

Looking behind her, she had never been so relieved to see Dr. Whale in her life. Whale was breathing hard and gripped Belle tightly, smoothing his hands down her jacket in silent apology for his firm yank of her moments before.

"Got you..." he said with the edge of a smile still on his lips. His usually expensive hair cut was now a flat sandy brown mess. Part of his purple v-neck was stuck to his chest with a small amount of blood that Belle prayed was not his. She nodded her thanks as he let her go and moved to help Ruby to her feet. When she stood it was easier to see the gash on her lower calf that had inhibited her ability to stand. With a wince, Ruby clung to Whale as he allowed her to regain her balance and looked to Belle for answers.

"We can't stay here. Regina is destroying the town." Belle straightened herself and stood tall. "If she wants a fight, we have to give her one."

"Where?" Whale asked as his hands slowly slid from Ruby once she was set to rights.

"The clock tower." Belle braced herself for another tremor but it was considerably smaller than the ones before and passed quickly. Whale nodded and adjusted his watch, pressing a button and setting the timer for reasons Belle could only guess at. They both went to move before Ruby shook her head quickly and looked back at the diner.

"No! No I can't leave, Granny is inside and I have to go back. I can't leave her!" Ruby turned to run and Whale grabbed her by the arm. The place was a wreck, she was bleeding and Belle needed help as well. As he spun her back towards him, her face constricted in a mixture of worry and frustration, she opened her mouth to plead with him but he cut her off.

"I'll get her. Go with Belle and your grandma and I will meet you both in the center of town." He shook his head as she started to protest and Belle had never seen Victor take charge like this. It came at the best time and she wasn't about to question it if this meant he was choosing the right side. "Don't argue with me Ruby, now _go!_" He pushed her back into Belle's arms and took a deep breath before jumping the canyon with a running start. Using his forearm to block the heat from the curse below, he fell onto the other side of the ravine on all fours, quickly scrambling to his feet and sprinting into the diner without hesitation.

Ruby watched helplessly as he disappeared into the diner and Belle pulled her down the street in the opposite direction. She had to trust that Whale knew what he was doing, that he would find Granny and anyone still inside and meet them in the center of town before it was too late. They turned the corner and Ruby stumbled as they were met with helpless barking. Pongo was furiously pulling on his leash that was tied to the lamp post outside the pharmacy. Archie was nowhere to be seen. She stopped to unclip it and the dog took off in a different direction, his mind set to the purpose of finding his master as the women continued towards their own goal.

They topped the hill as the clock tower came into view. If the streets were destroyed then the center of Stroybrooke was ground zero. A whirlwind of dark green and royal purple smoke surrounded everything and howled with a hurricane like force as pure magic broke through the madness in bolts of lightning and flying debris. Regina stood in the center, perfectly pristine in her black pants suit while everyone around her fought to keep their footing. Belle felt a rage like she had never known as she watched Gold lean heavily on his cane to keep from falling to his knees. Black silhouettes of other citizens were lost in the smoke and Regina cackled simultaneously with another quake.

"ENOUGH!" the queen screamed and threw her hands into the hair and the wind ceased instantly. Everything in the town stood still as the thick, unnaturally colored fog seeped back into the cracks in the earth at everyone's feet. One last quake shook the town and it was devastating to the surrounding buildings, leveling nearly everything in its path. Gold refused to fall as he let out a yell and Belle took off down the hill with Ruby close behind.

Mary Margaret fell to all fours in front of Regina, breathing hard as Charming called her name. He pulled his sword, abandoning the gun at his hip in favor of his old ways. Regina shot him a warning glare; for now, she wasn't going to harm the princess at her feet as long as the prince kept his distance. Another crack opened up behind the queen and split the concrete into a gaping chasm. The Library under the clock tower began to fall as the pillars in front splintered and the entire building crumbled into the abyss, swallowed by the dark magic.

"N-no…" Belle cried as she stopped beside Gold and watched her beloved oasis fall, reclaimed by whatever powers created the town in the first place. Pages of all the books once housed within the building scattered to the wind as it toppled forward with a sickening crash. The clock tolled as the inner mechanisms broke apart and the metal clanged in a final mess of rhythmic _bongs_. Gold wanted to pull her into his arms and allow her to grieve over her favorite gift but he refrained, focusing on the woman in the center of the madness. As the dust settled once more, he took a deep breath and addressed the queen.

"Stand down Regina. It's over." Gold growled as he stood up straight, placing his cane in front of him. His suit jacket was now gone, the black of his slacks covered in dirt and his dress shirt wrinkled from the humidity of the crashing waves coming in from the docks.

Regina cackled at him, "Ooooh, we aren't home yet Rumplestiltskin. You're still just a pawnbroker." She smirked and threw her hands forward sending a spark of magic at him which he blocked without effort.

He moved partially in front of Belle and snarled at the mayor. "Would you like to bet on that dearie?"

Her face shut down in anger and she lowered her arms. She stalked around Snow, still on the ground, and glared daggers at the townspeople. Belle clutched the strap of the rucksack across her chest and stayed behind Mr. Gold. She heard Ruby gasp as Whale walked back into the town square with Granny's arm over his shoulder, the old woman relying on his assistance as she was reunited with her granddaughter.

"Mom!"

Every head in the circle turned as Henry ran out of the alley closest to the queen with eyes on the body of his fallen mother. Emma Swan, savior of them all, breaker of the curse, now lay in the arms of her father. Charming passed his sword to Neal as he draped her upper body across his lap and tried to keep her blonde curls from falling in the mud. He wrapped his leather jacket around her shoulders as a final measure of protection but it was too little too late. His face contorted in pain no father should ever have to experience as he pressed his forehead to hers and his shoulders shook. Oblivious to the queen and her rage, he was lost in his own world filled with nothing but the feel of his child in his arms and his own sorrow.

"Oh not so fast M'lad." Henry was jerked backwards as a metal hook caught him by the hood of his corduroy jacket. Killian Jones, better known as Hook, stood smugly off to the side and put his good arm around a struggling Henry as he nodded to Regina with a smirk. The captain placed his makeshift hand under the young boys chin and locked eyes with Mr. Gold. "You really should keep better track of your loved ones, Crocodile." He spat and Regina put her hand up to stop him before he furthered in his confrontation with the older man. She stepped forward, blocking the pirate and boy from view, intent on her own agenda.

"The savior is dead," she growled, stalking around the lopsided circle and glaring at each member of the curse individually. "Now, you put your faith…in me. _Your Queen._"

Snow looked up from the ground at her step mother. Her short, raven hair was plastered to her face and her shoulders shook with the sounds of her sobs. "Enough is enough, Regina. Why are you doing this?"

Regina kicked aside a broken board with a black heeled foot and bent her knees, looking the other woman in the face. As she crouched, she grabbed her jaw, digging her red-painted talons into the soft cheeks of the beloved princess. "_Why?_ You want to know why?" She released her forcefully enough that Snow's arms buckled and she fell back to the ground.

"You took my happiness in the enchanted forest; you denied it to me in this world as well. Third time is a charm, sweet princess."

As she stalked to the outer edge of the square, Snow allowed herself to look to her husband. She dissolved into tears at the sight of her daughter and extended a hand, reaching helplessly for them both.

"Now," Regina continued. "_Kneel…all of you._"

Not a soul moved. Gold gripped his cane and stared the woman down, hand held before him, awaiting the time to call on his own magic. Belle clinched her fists and stayed by his side. She didn't move to touch him for she shivered from the very presence of his magic swirling within him just beneath the surface. He would never harm her, she was certain, but she also knew just what he was capable of. Towards the back, Granny leaned on Ruby and gave a glare of her own longing to sink an arrow into the hag's heart with her infamous crossbow. After a moment, Charming rose slowly, Emma limp in his arms and he held her to the best of his ability. He refused to be on the ground before this poor excuse for a queen and he would be damned if he let his daughter act any different.

"You're no queen of mine." Whale stepped away from Ruby and pulled a small hand gun out of the small of his back. For all he cared, magic could go to hell, other things worked just as well. He fired off three shots at Regina and she threw up her right hand stopping the metal with a ripple of air and allowing the bullets to fall with a small clink. The gun clicked empty and with another wave of her hand the doctor was sent flying into one of the swirling cracks in the street. A few people yelled and Belle felt herself moving forward before Gold grabbed her arm and once again put her behind him.

"Pathetic…" Regina hissed as Hook chuckled and adjusted his hold on Henry, the struggling boy proving to be much more difficult than he first anticipated.

Neal moved to stand in front of Charming and Emma, sword poised in front of him. As much as he tried to hide it, his threat was reduced by the redness of his face and the obvious line of an escaped tear. He planted his feet, gripped the metal of the jeweled handle and extended his arm.

"Give me my son you witch." He said deeply, moving the sword in her direction and straightening his shoulders as Gold took a step up to be by his side.

"Oh such bravery," she said. "Certainly didn't come from your father." Placing her hands on her hips, she looked to Gold with a satisfied smirk, disregarding his son as any sort of threat.

"You want him?" Regina purred. "Come and get him." She lifted her arms to the heavens as Henry yelled and a cloud of black smoke engulfed the three of them. The smoke coiled and curled, like it was something pulsating and alive, and it surrounded the villains and their prize like a giant snake.

Neal threw the sword aside and lunged. "HENRY!" he yelled as his arms closed around empty air and he hit the pavement. It was too late; they were gone. The largest of cracks under the clock tower, spilt wider and swallowed Snow White as she screamed and was soon followed by her husband. David clung to his only daughter as the magic drug them down into the Earth and they left this world the same way they came in.

Gold grabbed his son by the arm and pulled him away from the jagged rocks but he fought him tooth and nail. "She has Henry! I have to…Papa you have to let me go!"

"No, Son! Not again! I failed you once, I can't do it again!" Gold shook his head furiously and held on. Before either of them could argue, the crack split again and Gold didn't have enough strength to hold on. Neal fell into the blackness and Gold yelled for him but it was lost to the thunderous noise of the oncoming magic.

As the street crumbled into pieces, Gold clung to the sharp edges of the rocks, his feet dangling into the nothingness of Regina's destruction. As his fingers began to slip he closed his eyes and braced himself for the fall. But instead, dainty hands grasped his forearm just as he lost his grip and he opened wide eyes to find blue ones that he knew all too well staring back at him.

Belle leaned over the edge, half of her body dangling into the air along with the rest of him and held on tightly. She winced as the razor edges of the blacktop cut into her arms and she grunted with the effort of keeping him in place. The bag was gone from her shoulders and tossed carelessly aside in favor of saving her one true love. They needed that bag; they couldn't lose it, not if they wanted a chance at beating Regina once they survived the fallout.

He looked at her then, really looked at her and tried harder than ever to memorize her beauty. He could never forget the soft rouge of her lips, the striking blue eyes encased in elegant almond lids, or the way her cheeks quirked up when she was irritated with him but couldn't keep from smiling. Despite the fact that her image would be forever seared into his memory, he didn't waste a single moment looking now.

A sweat had broken out on her brow and she readjusted her grip as her fingers began to perspire as well and slide on his forearm. Her muscles ached with the strain of keeping her body tense enough to prevent him from plunging into the uncertainty of the curse below.

"Belle…" he said gently.

She shook her head over and over. She knew what was coming, what he was going to say, and she did not want to hear it. Screams and shouts could be heard behind them as the faults in the ground all grew in size and the rest of the town was being claimed by the Earth.

"Belle…" he said once again with the same tone. She let out a whimper and forced herself to look up at him, tears streaming down her face. He continued, "You have to let go. Let me go. Grab the dagger and the bag and brace yourself. You will be fine."

"But where will we end up once we go through?!" she screamed over the howling vortex.

He didn't have an answer to that and they were running out of time. She had to choose. Hold on to her lover or rescue the one thing that could bring down the evil queen. Belle knew what she wanted to choose but what one wants and what is right is not always the same thing. He saw her glance at the bag and then back to his hand, weighing the options on if she was quick enough to save both.

"No Belle. You have to do this. Let go." He bit his lip as a silent tear rolled down his cheek and dripped from his chin, he smiled through it all just so she could see it. "My Belle. My brave, brave lioness…" Squeezing her hand one, last, time he whispered, "I will never stop fighting for you."

At that she looked up, wide eyed and speechless, resonating as their mantra spilled from his lips and reached her heart. She believed him. He saw her belief in his words and that was enough. He let go of her hand. She couldn't support him on her own and he fell. The world slowed down as he slipped from her grasp and disappeared into the darkness. Belle scrambled backwards and grabbed the bag, slinging it back over her shoulders and closing her eyes tightly as the flickering magic threatened to blind her. With eyes shut, she focused on breathing, the air pressure in what felt like the center of the chaos forcing itself down on her lungs and leaving her gasping. Her hair fell from its bun and swirled around her face and she prayed to anything that was listening for this madness to end. Wrapping herself into a ball around the dagger, she protected her body from the flying debris and held on as the last crack spilt the town in two and swallowed it whole.


	3. Of Dreams and Snowflakes

A/N: Hey guys! What about that finale huh? WOO! Alright now I am down to ONE final people ONE! So that means it wont be long before this story and all of my others are updated more frequently. I am very excited and thank you for reading.

I do however have something to make clear. After some nasty messages on Tumblr and a few choice comments on FF and AO3 I would like to share something with you. Just because characters in my story do not like another character, that does NOT mean that I, the author, dislike them as well. I love Regina guys, shes a strong character and very iconic but she is the bad guy in this. The summary clearly says "take down the evil queen one way or another" or something to that effect, she is going to have moments of redemption but she is going to have moments of evil. That is the plot and I will not apologize for that. I hope that didn't come off as harsh as it sounds.

Thank you for your lovely comments and continue to enjoy. Much love. I do not own anything but the ideas in my head, now on with the show. 3 - thatlassiegotglassed

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Chapter 3: Of Dreams and Snowflakes

Belle French had not always been a hard sleeper. After spending years locked up under Regina's hate, it had taken many months and more than a few trips to Dr. Hopper's before she had been able to sleep at all. In the end, she had gone to appease Mr. Gold. Belle was far from broken, she was strong, they both knew that. But the sleeplessness only increased his sense of worry and she had obliged, allowing him to attend sessions and sit quietly with her hand in his lap as Archie took notes and deemed her perfectly healthy.

The best cure they had found was when she had finally buckled down and moved in with pawnbroker. They had started slow, almost from scratch, and she occupied the spare bedroom upstairs for almost a month while they rebuilt their hearts from the ground up. Sleep became easier but still required effort and in the end, the night Belle slept walked into his room, the solution was painfully obvious.

From then on, under the arm of her lover, sleep came as easily as breathing. As soon as her head hit the pillow she was lost to the world around her. Often, Mr. Gold spoke of her snoring but she assumed it was a jest, for when she offered to go back upstairs, he would cut her off before the thought was even finished. While he guarded the house, constantly on alert, investigating the wind moving the back screen door about four times a week, Belle could sleep through a hurricane. With the Dark One at her back, her subconscious shut itself down and any dreams she had were either incoherent or blissfully ordinary.

That's why as she drifted between the final cycle of sleep and consciousness her brow furrowed in confusion. Tonight's dream had been sequenced, violent and felt downright realistic. Belle clenched her fists and shut her eyes tightly as the memory of Regina destroying the town consumed her thoughts. She whimpered as the dream jumped forward and she clutched Gold for dear life refusing to let him go, she wouldn't this time, this time would be different.

"Rumple!" she gasped with a jolt as she surfaced and the dream ended. She opened her eyes briefly and the world was still dark, she was safe and it was probably in the early hours of the morning. Something she knew for certain was that it was very, very cold. She closed her eyes again and shivered. For some reason unknown to her, Rumplestiltskin liked it cold. Perhaps it was because he ran hot; perhaps it was because it made her sleep closer, her guesses were as good as any, although, it certainly wasn't because he couldn't afford the bill. Often enough, if she asked, he would get up and limp to the thermostat and kick it up a few notches.

She turned to do just that. Reaching a hand out to nudge him gently, her fingers closed around not sheets but something very cold and _wet._ That wasn't right. With a gasp Belle sat up and opened her eyes, her pupils took a moment to adjust to the darkness around her and once her vision cleared she realized she was sitting in about four inches of snow.

Her first thought was that she was sleep walking again. She wrapped her arms around her and looked slowly in all directions. This was not their front yard or anywhere in Storybrooke that she could remember. In fact, she was seated in a small clearing, surrounded by snow and dense, dark woods. Her mind raced as it all came back to her. Storybrooke's destruction was no dream. Regina had killed the savior and the town had been swallowed by the curse in a self-destructive reverse cycle. She winced as she put her arms down and quickly pulled them up close to her face inspecting the source of her pain.

Deep scratches from the blacktop marred her right forearm as the memory of holding onto Rumplestiltskin came rushing back as well. She had tried and in the end it hadn't been enough. Was he alive? He could be anywhere in the vast woods of the enchanted forest. She had lost him, forced to let go in an attempt to hold onto the dagger.

The dagger.

With wide eyes, Belle scrambled to her knees and looked around for the rucksack. It had to be close. She wouldn't lose it, not when Rumple had deemed it so important. It laid a few feet from her, a thin layer of new fallen snow coated the top and she shook it off, clutching it to her breast with a sigh of relief. She opened it cautiously, making sure the items that he had tossed in along with the dagger itself were perfectly fine. The long metal knife didn't frighten her, not really. But she left it wrapped up all the same, choosing not to touch it directly. It was dark magic, something to be weary of at all times as he had instructed her before they had even left the dark castle, but at the same time it was part of the man that she loved most. She threw the bag around her shoulders and shivered.

Snow had started to fall once more and Belle couldn't deny the beauty of the place she had fallen. However beautiful, it still wasn't going to be wise for her to stay put and freeze to death in her light jacket and sneakers. Lifting her hood, she closed her eyes and spun once, twice, three times before pointing forward and nodding in decision that she was going in that direction. Without a compass, map or any sensible knowledge of where she was, this way was as good as any.

* * *

"How do I look?"

Regina walked back into the main room of her castle and spread her hands almost as wide as the smile on her face. Her hair was back to its fantasy length and pinned to the side, black ringlets falling down her left shoulder, so dark it was hard to tell where the hair ended the fabric of her dress began. Her long sleeved cloak fit her like a glove and buttoned to her waist before splitting down the middle and flaring around her leather pants as she walked. She wanted to revel in the feel of her clothes; she wanted to set fire to every pants suit that had ever made her feel less than what she truly was. Placing her hands on her hips, she smiled, dark lips over pearl white teeth, at her son.

Henry sat on the leather settee as stiff as the furniture itself and looked up at his adoptive mother. He looked back down to his shoes quickly and twisted his hands in his lap. Wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket, he stayed silent.

"Henry, I asked you a question." She walked forward and turned once, more for her benefit than his and smiled once more. "How do I look?"

"Evil." He whispered.

Her smile fell as her heart dropped to her feet and she moved to crouch in front of him. She placed her hands on the arm rests of the chair and looked at him with pleading, dark eyes.

"It hurts me when you say such things." She said as he finally raised his head to look at her face.

"You killed her." He said flatly. It felt as if the air left the room. Although his body language told her that he was afraid, his face challenged her with more bravery than any boy his age should have possessed. Regina lifted her hand to touch his cheek but thought better of it and lowered it back to her lap. Her heart ached with the want to please him, to be everything he thought she could be but the queen inside of her had been broken for so long it overpowered her foolish want for good. She opened her mouth to apologize and quickly closed it, standing up and walking to the mirror on the far side of the room.

"All war has its casualties, Henry." She whispered as she stroked the glass gently and looked deep into the mirror. If she said she was sorry for killing the savior, she would be lying. With Emma out of the way, everything was much less complicated. Well, almost everything. She looked at her beloved son and realized with a sinking of her gut that the price she paid for the destruction of the curse was going to be steep.

"If you need anything," she tapped the mirror with her index finger, watching him in the reflection, "I'll know." With a swish of her cloak, she walked back to the front of the room and stopped by the heavy iron door. "When I return I'll give you a tour of the castle and we can have dinner. Would you like that?"

Henry refused to look up and she realized her question would remain unanswered no matter how long she stood by the door and waited. With a last look, she walked out of the door and shut it firmly behind her.

"Make sure he doesn't leave." She mumbled to the guard standing outside the entrance. One way or another, she would get through to him. There was no doubt in her mind that if he knew her regrets he would grow to accept her in spite of them all. However, as she strutted down the stone hallway, basking in the feel of being back inside her fortress, she pushed them aside. The many mirrors along the hall all shown with the reflection of her dark glory and she knew, this was no time for regrets, this was time for vengeance.

The mirrors came to life with a swirling blue mist and the glass cleared to reveal a man. He blinked and his eyes grew wide as he focused on the Queen. Sydney Glass, once Storybrooke's head reporter and right hand to the queen during her days as mayor, was now once again imprisoned in the mirrors that his beloved queen loved more than she loved him.

His dark face jumped from mirror to mirror as she walked down the hallway. Whether she ignored his presence or was simply unaware, he wasn't sure. But he followed the best he could, sensing the frustration boiling off of her very skin.

"Your majesty," he called, the yell echoing off the glass as he popped a few mirrors in front of her. "We're back. We've returned!" His voice shook with a mixture of disbelief and panic. Whereas the queen was thankful to be home, Sydney had simply traded one prison for another.

"Very good, Sydney," she paused and turned sharply, the train of her coal black dress issued a hiss against the stone beneath her feet. "And what gave that away? Was it the castle? No. Well, how about the fact that you are back where you belong?" She stalked forward and let her nails trail down the glass with a sickening screech.

Sydney jumped back from the surface and winced, closing his dark eyes tightly and fighting back the look of hurt that threatened to cross his face. Regina opened her mouth to continue her verbal destruction of her only companion but froze as the mirror rippled and Sydney vanished. She moved her hand in a swiping motion in front of the glass, "Sydney?"

The mirror remained blank.

She stalked down the hall, waving her hand in front of each framed looking-glass without any luck. With a sinking feeling in her gut, the queen bunched her skirts in her fists and hurried down the corridor and into her master chambers. The door banged open and slammed shut behind her once she was inside without a touch. Across the bedchamber on the far wall was quite possibly the largest mirror in all of the Enchanted Forest, perhaps in all the lands. It stretched the length of the wall, from floor to ceiling and was nearly ten feet in wide. The ornate frame which surrounded the reflective surface was a tarnished brass, engraved with the faces of every soul the queen had ever stolen from this world prematurely. It was her most prized possession and she stopped in the middle, looking frantically into its depths.

"Sydney!" she yelled. With a thrust of her hands, she forced a wave of green magic into the mirror and it rippled again.

The man reappeared once more and the queen was eye level with his coarse, black beard. He looked disoriented, lost and his image was faded. She demanded an explanation and he sputtered to appease her.

"Magic, my queen. It's different. Something is," he paused and thought about it. "Something is wrong."

The queen paused and closed her eyes slowly, feeling her own magic within her and she sensed the truth in his words. Something wasn't quite right about the powers that swirled around her and whatever it was more than likely was affecting the magic of all the land. With an uneasy feeling in her stomach, she blanked the mirror, banishing her companion to its depths, and collapsed on the seat at the foot of her bed.

* * *

Snow White pulled her dark hair back and pinned it with a golden comb. After dabbing her eyes, she reached down and scooped up her forgotten clothes of the other land. Her once cherished pink cardigan was now dirty and wrinkled and she clutched it to her breast like it was precious. She glanced at the waste basket before opening the trunk at the foot of her four poster bed and depositing them inside. She now wore a simple, cream colored dress and as she gazed in the mirror it was as if Mary Margaret disappeared and all that remained was Snow White, the princess, make that the queen. With Charming by her side they were supposed to save the lands, protect them and keep them safe. At the thought of her husband, the woman dissolved into tears and buried her face in her hands. How could they protect an entire world when they couldn't even protect their own daughter?

Back inside her castle, Snow White didn't feel like a queen, she felt like a failure.

A soft knock came at the door and she used a silk pocket cloth to dab her face. With a word of passage from the princess, Grumpy walked inside and looked at her gently. He was still in his Storybrooke flannel and jeans that had seen better days but he didn't seem to mind. He ran a hand through his beard and finally over his balding head, a gesture that was more due the fact that he was unsure what to do with his hands than one of habit.

"Hey sister," he said quietly. She bit her lip and remained silent as he continued. "It's done. We finished. David-…Charming- he's already there."

With a nod, she stood and walked past Grumpy and into the corridor. The castle was just as they left it. Pillars of rich, chestnut wood supported the gothic archways and windows located every few feet allowed for the hallways to be filled with soft natural sunlight opposed to the harsh flicker of too many candles. It was home or at least it should have been. At the moment the castle itself felt like a shell, a hollow, empty shell, void of happiness when it should have been filled to the brim with it.

She stopped at the giant wooden doors at the end of the hallway and placed her hands on them, pushing forward. They opened with a soft groan and once the crack was wide enough, she stepped through. The throne room held many memories and was once her most favorite of places. Prince and Princess had been married inside this very room, she remembered that day like it was yesterday, surrounded by all of her friends and making her love public and expressing it before all the land. It was also in this room where Charming had discovered he was to be a father. Snow quickly reminisced on the day she had held his hand as he sat on his throne and told him the news, how he embraced her and his eyes filled with a light unlike any she had ever known. As she entered the room, she feared that light was now gone forever.

The man in question was on his knees in the center of the grand hall. Sunlight filtered in through the windows and the shadows slowly grew in length as dusk was quickly approaching. Prince Charming, still in the debris covered working clothes of David Nolan, kneeled in front of the body of his only daughter. Snow stayed where she was and focused on taking deep breaths, determined to stay strong for her husband, and quietly admired the handy work of the dwarves.

Emma Swan looked like the princess she had been born to be. Gone were the fitted slacks, red leather jacket and sheriff's badge and in their place was a wispy gown. The soft, teal material lay naturally across her body and fell off the intricately carved table that she laid upon. On their return to the Enchanted Forest, the dwarves and quickly carved a wooden table like structure that was lined with a satin pillow top. Charming had refused to place his daughter in something as final and foreboding as a coffin, for her story was not over. Emma Swan lived on, in a deep sleep like that of both her father and mother before her, trapped in a curse and confined to the recesses of her own mind and body.

Snow heard Charming mumbling and she stepped forward, conscious of the fact that he was still unaware of her presence. His large hands stroked the length of her blonde curls where they lay fanned out around her shoulders that now looked small when void of her leather jacket and confidence.

"Please. P-please. Please…_please._" He whispered, quietly at first and then allowed each word to become slightly louder and carry across the stones of the majestic room. With each 'please' he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. His voice cracked at the very end of his pleading and he gave up. As his shoulders slumped, he grabbed Emma's right hand and held it in both of his own, pressing it to his forehead. Once he allowed his eyes to close, his body was racked with sobs and the prince was lost to his misery.

"I'm sorry. I'm s-so sorry." He said and the apology carried through the castle as everyone in it mourned with their beloved ruler.

Snow walked quietly up the stairs leading to the platform that displayed her daughter and placed her hands on his shoulders, gripping him tightly and talking over his frantic pleas for his daughter's forgiveness.

"Charming," she called as her own chest grew tight and she tried to pry him away from the table. "Charming!"

He turned and pulled her to him, the dirt on his clothes crumpling the dainty fabric of her dress, and placed a hand in her hair, holding her like she was the last solid thing in the world. Charming quieted and took a shaky breath, whispering against her cheek, "I should have done more. I failed her. I failed you. I'm sorry, Snow, I'm so sorry."

Every word that spilled from his lips could not have been farther from the truth and Snow knew that. She only wished she could make him realize it as well. As the town crumbled around them Charming had been there; quick reflexes pulling his wife back to her feet as she lost her balance to the quake, strong hands pushing Henry out of the way of falling debris, he had played the hero he was born to be but it hadn't been enough.

And now he kneeled on the cold ground trying to awaken his daughter with the unconditional love of a good father and proving to be unsuccessful. In the end, it had been Emma who had saved him and in his mind that was not how the story should end. Children were not supposed to die saving their parents, in Charming's mind it should have been the other way around. She now stood before him, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, and her hands encircled his shoulders, cradling his head the best she could. As he wept, Snow was positive he would have stayed on his knees, begging for forgiveness that was not needed and trying to awaken his daughter with kisses of love till he passed out from exhaustion and his lips cracked and bled.

As she looked up, she saw the dwarves standing silently at the edge of the room. They removed their hats and gripped them tightly, a few bowing their heads in sorrow for the King and Queen they loved and respected. Snow looked back down and kissed the top of Charming's head. With her lips against his hair she said softly, "It's not forever. The blue fairy said it was a sleeping curse."

Even as she spoke the words, they felt like a simplified lie. A sleeping curse, however not as final as death, was still a serious thing and it seemed this family had suffered enough of them.

"Then why isn't it working?"

She could only assume he was referring to his effort of trying to break the spell moments before and she didn't have an answer for him. With gentle hands, she stroked his hair until the sun slipped beneath the horizon and they were left in the dark, the only noise provided by his soft sniffs and her kisses against his head.

"We need help." Snow said, breaking the silence at last.

Grumpy stepped up and looked at the Prince with a nod. "There might be someone."

Both the royals looked to him. Charming released Snow gently and stood slowly, keeping a hand on the edge of the table until he regained his footing. They looked to the dwarf to continue.

"And if it is a war Regina wants," he paused and swallowed hard, not believing his own words as his eyes fell on Charming, hoping he would understand. "Then there will come a time when we need him on our side."

Charming's back straightened and he looked to his daughter before back to the man in front of him. As he regained his composure and nodded his head in agreement, he avoided eye contact with his wife and she couldn't help but notice. Grumpy was right. "Will you and the others stay and protect Emma?"

Doc straightened his glasses and took a step forward, "With our lives." The rest nodded in agreement and Charming's straight face faded into one of gratitude.

"Snow," he turned to her then and put his hands on the lace of her shoulders gently. "Pack a bag." He released her and walked to the throne, picking up the sturdy leather sheath of his sword and gripping it tightly. His tears dried but he did not wipe them away and his face cleared along with his mind.

"Where are we going?" she breathed, her eyes wide with confusion but unable to help admiring the way he seemed to be in his element, taking his place of power for the first time in nearly three decades.

Charming paused and looked out the stained glass window. His eyes narrowed on the horizon as he said firmly, "The Dark Castle."


	4. Thirty

A/N: I do not own OUAT or anything related to it.

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Chapter 4: Thirty

It had been hours. At least it had felt like hours. Belle wanted nothing more than to go to her knees and rub her aching feet. She settled for leaning against a large pine tree and huddling into her jacket. The snow continued to fall and her tennis shoes were becoming increasingly soaked as she had to trek through the deepening drifts. The cloth of her jacket was not enough to keep out the chill and she was simply thankful that there was no wind, for she would have froze hours ago. With a deep breath, she pushed against the tree and continued on.

Her head snapped to the right as she heard the soft noise of padded foot falls. Much too fast for the simple stride of a human but at the same time it wasn't a gallop or the sound of something running.

A furry, white wolf poked its head from the trees and hunched its back as it came to a complete stop and eyed Belle silently.

Belle's body remained rigid. "R-ruby?" she said softly as she locked eyes with the wolf and came to the understanding that if it wanted her, she was doomed. Unarmed and alone, she stayed still and waited for the animal to make the first move. The soft amber eye, the other to Belle's surprise was blood-red, and the feral way it watched it her confirmed that there was nothing human behind those eyes. This wasn't her friend, just an animal of the forest. Snow continued to drift towards the ground and the only noise in the woods was the heavy panting of the animal. It growled softly before raising its nose towards her and sniffing greedily, as if checking or looking, its mind set to a purpose that Belle could only guess at. Eventually, it took a step back and let out a whine full of sorrow and heartache.

After a moment of hesitation, the majestic creature turned and padded back through the trees in the snow, deciding that Belle was either not a threat or simply not worth the time. Whatever the reason, she relaxed once more and changed paths, heading in the opposite direction of the wolf.

Everywhere looked the same. Each tree she felt as if she had passed a hundred times and it was a challenge to keep her breath steady as the panic of being lost forever threatened to sink in. She knew of places like the never ending forest; places one could become lost in and never make it out, eventually giving in to starvation or madness. Belle's overactive imagination kept straying to thoughts of other things that could be lurking in these woods. Things left to the devices of nature for the last 30 years while the forest remained empty of human life. There were things that could probably see better in darkness than she ever could and things that waited in the shadow and contemplated eating her whole. Swallowing her fear, she moved a pine branch aside, jumping as it swayed upon her release of it and snow and nettles fell to the ground behind her. About ten feet in front of her was a small clearing, only having a radius of about seven or eight feet, but it was evident that it had once been a small camp. Belle entered with caution and bit her lip, looking for signs of something or someone.

As she drew closer it was painfully evident that no one had been in the small camp for years. Whoever pitched the now collapsed, snow covered tent was lost to the curse nearly three decades ago and was nowhere to be found. Belle stepped over the small pit that had been used for a fire with a crunch of her shoes and used her entire arm to brush away a heavy snow drift and look inside the decrepit tent for anything of use. She unearthed a ratted, frozen cloak and pulled it from where it was stuck to the ground and shook it out. Although it was muddy and covered in holes, it was something and she gratefully wrapped it around her shoulders and tied it under her chin, pulling her hair out from the back and shaking it loose.

Among the broken ruble she found a small knife, which she tied by the leather handle to her belt loop, a small flint rock and a bow. The quiver lay off to the side and had but a single arrow still in it. She placed them on top of a flat sitting rock just in case. The fair person inside of her felt like she was taking that which did not belong to her, but simple logic outweighed her conscience. Whoever the items belonged to was long gone and most likely didn't need them anymore.

She tucked her hands into the sleeves of her jacket and used them to dig the snow out of the already-made fire pit. It was still dark and wondering around for a few more hours wasn't going to do any good. This was as good a place as any to wait out the night and she could start fresh in the morning. She had read plenty of books on the outdoors; though Rumplestiltskin had never expressed the desire to go camping in this world or the other, it hadn't stopped her from reading on the wilderness and simple survival strategies. In no time at all, a small flame was crackling as she blew on it gently and crumbled up a mixture of leaves and small twigs, allowing it to grow before placing a large limb on top.

Her muscles had already begun to relax as the heat from the flame reached through the thin potato sack cloak and the pop's and cracks from the fire itself caused her to not feel quite so alone. She rubbed her hands together and pulled her knees to her chest. Since the curse had broken in Storybrooke, she had often wondered what it would be like to return. To once again be back to her home, be it the dark castle or her father's kingdom, and this was not what she had imagined.

Her stomach rumbled with the beginnings of hunger and she pushed those thoughts aside and simply watched the flames dance, casting shadows in the sparkling snow. She would have given almost anything to be back in the ornate two story house on the edge of Storybrooke. With its stained glass door and cluttered hominess, she wished she was enjoying a meal in front of the television with Rumplestiltskin, knowing the promise of a warm bed and tender kisses awaited her upstairs if she so desired. Her heart ached along with her growling stomach as she imaged the scene in her mind and allowed it to fill her with a hollow sense of realness in the emptiness of the forest.

"Rumplestiltskin." She whispered, closing her eyes and putting her forehead against her knees. She squeezed her arms tightly and said it once more. "Rumplestiltskin." She bit her lip and forced herself not to say it again. What if she did and it did not work? They had just returned to this land and magic was always tricky. She didn't think her heart could take the hope of him appearing if she were to mutter his name once more and the magic failed to deliver. Her mind wondered to his warm embrace. His soft brown eyes and even softer hair. The way he smiled whenever she walked in the room despite his current mood and the way her name fell from his lips always in such relief and comfort at the end of a long day. These thoughts and more crashed upon her like a wave and she couldn't help it as her lips parted and she said it one last time. "_Rumplestiltskin."_

A crack of a branch off in the distance echoed as soon as the word left her lips and Belle stood straight up, the small hairs on the back of her neck prickling with anticipation. She fought the urge to call out and inquire about what was out there, should she give away her position and lead them straight to her makeshift camp. Quietly, she crouched and picked up the wooden bow and she slid the single arrow from the quiver at her side and strung it the best she could. She had never been proficient in archery in her lessons as a child and vowed that if she ever made it back to civilization she would start practicing again. She pulled the string tight and balanced the edge of her hand by the corner of her mouth, releasing a silent breath and waiting. As the trees blew softly in the breeze and she strained her ears for more signs of movement in the dark, she figured her skills, however dastardly, were better than nothing.

"You going to shoot me dearie?" a gentle voice called from the darkness of the trees and was followed by a very rusty, out of practice but nonetheless very recognizable giggle. Rumplestiltskin stepped out of the edge of the woods and smiled at her like he had a million times before and yet this time Belle felt relief like she had never known.

He was still wearing what was left of his expensive suit, black slacks a little cleaner having been brushed off since the last time she had seen him and he wasn't using his cane but it was held loosely in the crook of his arm. In this world, he no longer needed it and held onto it more out of habit than necessity. Belle looked to his face and was surprised to find his old self staring back at her. His hair was tousled but it was plain to see that it now held a slight curl. His skin was no longer a pale peach but instead was a deep gold, housing a small amount of shine to it that in the dark looked almost green but Belle knew what it looked like in the light. The face of Rumplestiltskin paired with the clothing of Mister Gold caused Belle to stop short, not knowing if she should dissolve into a fit of laughter or if she should embrace it without question as the appearance housed both halves of a whole.

"Rumple," she breathed with a smile and dropped the bow to the ground and ran at him full force. He braced himself and let the cane fall as she gracefully jumped and wrapped her legs around his waist and he caught her effortlessly. For the first time in a long while, she didn't have to take his injury into account. Being the Dark One once more allowed him to hold her close and support her easily as he buried his face in her curls and inhaled deeply, relaxing in the thought of finally knowing she was safe. He held her and whispered meaningless phrases of reassurance to the both of them.

She pulled back and looked him in the eyes, now dark and a little less inviting but they were still his. "You heard me." Belle stated as she put her arms around his neck.

He shook his head to her surprise as he set her down gently. "No. I didn't." He held her at arm's length, inspecting her well being before looking back to her face. "My powers are, shall we say, inhibited for the moment." When she gave him a confused look, he continued. "For some reason, they aren't working. I found you the old fashioned way." He tapped his nose and gestured to their foot prints in the snow.

Her mouth formed a small 'o' and she nodded. Reaching up with eager hands, she threaded her fingers through his hair, lavishing in the feel of the fine strands. She let her index finger wrap around one of his crimped locks and he returned her touches with a sheepish smile. That smile was a very Mister Gold gesture, it was not often she had seen that look across his face while he was the Dark One, in fact, she doubted anyone but her ever had and lived to tell the tale. Her fingertips brushed his cheeks gently, already knowing that even though the gold flecks in his skin looked textured and reptilian, they were smooth and warm. With her right hand she brushed his hair back tenderly before using her left to explore his features; over his temple, down his cheek and finally resting along the curve of his jaw.

"I know, it's awful." He mumbled, the movement in his jaw moving her fingers against his face.

She shook her head saying 'no' gently and knowing it would take more than words to reassure him.

Going up on her tip toes, she offered her lips to him for a kiss and closed her eyes, waiting for him to close the gap. However, the kiss never came and as she felt him take half a step back, she opened her eyes and looked at him worriedly.

"My dear…I don't think we shoul-.." he stopped himself as his shoulders slumped slightly and she rocked back to flat feet once more as her spirit was crushed in realization of what he meant.

"You mean I can't…?" she let the question remain unfinished and her chest felt tight when he shook his head no.

"Not in this world." He mumbled gently as he tucked her hair behind her ear, looking like he was in pain. As selfish as it seemed, Belle found some comfort in the fact that he was as saddened by it as she was. She thought back to the other world and seemed to remember every kiss they had ever shared. Kisses in their home, in the pawnshop, at Granny's, on the docks; hundreds of moments she had taken for granted were now gone in an instant, never to be reclaimed. He held her close once more before releasing her gently and moving them closer to the fire.

"Have you seen anyone else?" he asked, changing the subject to something less painful for the both of them.

She shook her head, "No one till you came." He sat on the rock and shook his head in agreement. There had been no signs of anyone on his search for her either. He stared at the fire in thought as she sat beside him and leaned her head on his shoulder, grateful for the company as well as the knowledge that he was alive and well. For a long while neither of them said a word and she watched as he flicked his hands at the flames willing them to increase but nothing happened.

"Damn," he growled before giving up altogether and putting them back in his lap. She took his hands in hers gently and looked at him before slowly bringing the right one to her lips and brushing them along his knuckles. He made no move to stop her, the action not posing a threat to stripping him of his powers and he gave a full bodied sigh as she repeated the process with his left. She didn't ask for an explanation to his failing abilities, understanding that he didn't have a reason for her inquiring thoughts yet. With a squeeze, she laced their fingers and allowed them both to rest back on his leg.

"Do you have the bag?" He asked.

Belle nodded and produced the small, green rucksack from under her moth-eaten cloak. Rumplestiltskin glared at the less than desirable material and willed it to be something worthy of his blue-eyed beauty but it remained unchanged and his mood continued to sour. Noticing the tension in his body, she didn't say anything and simply handed the bag over. He snatched it from her grasp, dark nails digging into the material as he opened it without muttering any form of thanks. The bag was quickly opened and he grunted his approval at the sight of the dagger, however, it was the other items in the bag that melted his heart and made him smile once again.

"Belle?" he said as he continued to look down into the depths of the bag.

She put her palms out to the flames of the fire before rubbing them together and hummed back to him gently to show she was listening.

"Why are there books in here?"

She turned to him at that and crossed her arms, indignant on not letting him command her now that he was fully back into his power. "You said to bring what was necessary. I did."

Rumplestiltskin opened the mouth of the bag wider and slowly counted before looking back up, "There are _thirty_ in here." He fought back laughter as he imagined her frantically narrowing them down, picking out her very favorites.

"You're lucky there aren't more." She said firmly and continued to look at the fire. With a smile, he tied the bag shut once more and set it down on the ground at his feet. Had he expected anything less from her? The truth was no, if there hadn't been any books inside the bag then he would have been concerned. An entire town coming down around them, unsure of the next moments in their lives and she had grabbed what she deemed important. Whatever frustrations he had with his failing magic and the curse now coursing back in his veins subsided for the moment and he reached for her.

She let out a yelp as he dragged her onto his lap and nuzzled her hair. He didn't have a reason to be upset; the bag was enchanted and could hold a great deal more without ever becoming heavy. With the fire at her side and Rumplestiltskin at her other, she relaxed in the circle of his arms and laid her head on his shoulder, speaking quietly in the darkness of the woods.

"We can't stay here," she stopped shivering as he tucked the cloak around her and held her close. The temperature didn't seem to affect him and somehow that didn't surprise her. "What do we do now?"

"We go home." He said deeply, giving her fingers a small squeeze. "But we are without transportation or magic so," he looked around before letting out a small giggle, "we walk."

Her eyes grew wide and he giggled again, however his voice cracked at the end and he wound up in a coughing fit. Belle was the one to laugh this time as he tried to mold his vocal chords into noises that he had not made in many, many years. He cleared his throat and glared daggers at her but she paid no attention. She patted his chest gently and stifled her laughter so as not to further bruise his ego. After a few more moments of silence, she stood and offered her hand to help him to his feet.

"Do you have any idea where we are?" she asked a smile still in her voice as he straightened his dress shirt and picked his cane up out of the snow.

"I have some idea. Sun will be up shortly, might as well start now. Plus the journey will be much more enjoyable with company, now don't you agree?" he offered her his arm. "My lady."

She slipped her right arm through his and placed her hand on his upper arm as he transferred his cane to his other hand to hold. "Why do you still have that?"

He looked to the cane as if he just realized he had been holding it and shrugged, "Your lover is a sentimental old fool. Besides, it might come in handy."

Though she doubted that, she could not deny the fact that he was sentimental. He held on to the oddest things in both worlds and she supposed she shouldn't be surprised by his actions. He'd probably place it beside the rest of his treasured possessions back in the castle but as he kicked snow over the small fire to put it out and they left the clearing, she couldn't find a reason to complain. They were going home.

* * *

A/N: Whew! I know this was a little filler and I apologize but man you guys are smart! I got a few messages and comments asking, "Why didn't Belle call for Rumple?" haha This chapter was already written and I was like you guys are quick! Patience! Much love to you all and thank you for the feedback. I love it and it helps!


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